Saturday, November 23, 2024

Lighthouse of the Week, November 17-23, 2024: North Queensferry Lighthouse, Scotland

 

I came across this lighthouse by accident, and was immediately intrigued by the statement that it was the world's shortest traditional tower lighthouse. I would have thought that Rhode Island's somewhat famous Castle Hill lighthouse, which I've been to in person, held that title. Castle Hill is 34 feet (10 meters) tall.

This week's featured lighthouse, the North Queensferry lighthouse in, well, North Queensferry, is 17 feet (5 meters) tall. So it's clearly shorter than Castle Hill.  For location, you can see where it is on the map (it's officially called the Forth Bridges Lighthouse Museum, it appears), and note that it is north across the water from Queensferry -- which makes sense -- and Queensferry is northwest of Edinburgh. By the way, the water body to the east of the lighthouse and the bridge next to it is the Firth of Forth.

So now the Lighthouse Directory can fill us in on this diminutive but brave example of lighthousery.

"1817 (John Rennie). Reactivated (inactive 1964-2010), now unofficial; focal plane about 7 m (23 ft); light character unknown. 5 m (17 ft) hexagonal stone tower with the original lantern but no gallery; unpainted. ... In November 2006 plans were announced for a restoration of the lighthouse. After a number of delays the restoration was carried out in the spring of 2009-10 and the light was relit by Princess Anne on 22 June. Located at the foot of Main Street, between the Forth Road and Railroad bridges, near the Deep Sea World aquarium in North Queensferry."

The Daily Mail had an article about it, but they said it was six feet taller than the Lighthouse Directory's listing.

Inside the world's smallest working lighthouse: How a 23ft tower once powered by whale oil still shines for up to three miles

And I've got pictures below this line, and also a short amateur video.









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